Many products in the marketplace have characteristics which will cause the product to malfunction or fail if it is shipped in a particular orientation. One type of product having such characteristics is a computer monitor or a television. Computer monitors and televisions incorporate what is known as cathode ray tube (CRT) technology in order to display an image on a screen. CRT monitors and televisions should not be shipped or stored with the screen facing downward. This is because any contamination in the CRT may fall onto the fluorescent screen which may harm its function and performance.
Computer monitors and televisions are typically shipped in large corrugated paperboard containers of a generally rectangular shape. In order to deter placement of the containers such that the monitor or television screen is facing downward, the containers are usually marked with words or graphic images on the outer surface. Such images usually include the words "THIS SIDE UP" and/or large conspicuous arrows indicating which side of the box should be placed facing upward. Individuals who handle the containers must pay close attention in order to avoid placing the containers with the monitor or television screen facing downward. Individuals who continuously handle numerous containers each day may easily be distracted or momentarily lose concentration and mis-orient a container.
Another problem in shipping computer monitors and televisions is that physical damage may occur to the screens of the units. A conventional shipping container for such products is designed to inhibit damage to the product by being substantially oversized relative to the computer monitor or television product contained within. Inclusion of a number of styrofoam or paperboard inserts is also common for use in retaining the monitor or television within the container spaced from any particular side of the container. To protect the screens, a large gap is usually left between the outside surface of the screen and the adjacent wall of the container.
Today, manufacturing cost reduction and quality are both essential in remaining competitive in markets such as the manufacture and sale of computer monitors and televisions. One problem with the prior art shipping containers is that since they are oversized, the containers take up a lot of unnecessary shipping space. Fewer products may be shipped per cubic volume of shipping space because of the oversized containers. If smaller containers were available, the cost of shipping computer monitors and televisions could be reduced significantly by increasing the number of units per cubic volume of shipping space required. A competing concern, however, is the quality of product available to the end consumer. It is important to provide undamaged, defect-free products to the end consumers.
What is needed is an improved shipping container which inherently deters improper orientation of the container by its shape. What is also needed is a shipping container which readily nests with adjacent shipping containers in order to minimize the amount of space necessary to ship a plurality of the shipping containers. What is also needed is a shipping container that is particularly useful in shipping computer monitors, televisions and the like. What is still further needed is a shipping container which is smaller relative to conventional computer monitor and television shipping containers and yet provides equivalent or improved protection for the screens of the product.